Irish international stories - October 2000

Nolan row brewing - October 31, 2000
Ireland and England are set for a row over the services of highly rated Bolton teenager Kevin Nolan. But if reports are right, and he would rather play for England, then the FAI should wash their hands of him.
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Keane says Kinsella deserves award - October 27, 2000
Ireland captain Roy Keane reckons that his midfield partner Mark Kinsella deserves the Eircom/FAI Player of the Year award.
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U16s face tough task - October 27, 2000
Ireland's u16 squad face a tough couple of days if they are to qualify from a three-team mini-tournament which starts in Latvia today.
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Captain nominated for top award - October 26, 2000
Irish captain Roy Keane has been shortlisted for this year's Eircom/FAI International Player of the Year award - but he faces stiff opposition from Mark Kinsella and Niall Quinn.
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Young player hard to call - October 26, 2000
Robbie Keane has tough competition for the Eircom/u23 international Young Player of the Year. The Inter Milan striker has won the award for the past two years but he will do well to make it three in a row because of the challenge of Richard Dunne and Kevin Kilbane.
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The other Player of the Year contenders - October 26, 2000
As well as the Senior, Young and Eircom League Player of the Year awards there are another nine gongs up for grabs.
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Cheeky Portugal want to play away game at home! - October 25, 2000
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) are up in arms at Portugal's cheeky attempt to get their away game against Andorra played on home soil.
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Republic finish in a flourish - October 20, 2000
Republic of Ireland 3 Bulgaria 2
The Republic of Ireland u18 team looked destined for their second defeat of the European Championship qualifier mini-tournament in the Czech Republic yesterday. They trailed 2-1 to Bulgaria with four minutes left on the clock but a late surge from the Irish saw them score two more goals to take the game 3-2.
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Ireland and Sunderland close to greatness - October 19, 2000
Sunderland's Michael Reddy believes that Ireland and Sunderland are on the verge of something big and he wants a part of it.
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Duff out for six weeks - October 19, 2000
Damien Duff has injured his hamstring, which could keep him out of the game for up to six weeks. That means he will almost certainly miss Ireland's next international, which is on November 15 at Lansdowne Road against Finland.
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Irish u18 win not enough - October 18, 2000
Ireland 2 Moldova 0 - Brian Kerr's u18 team bounced back from defeat by the Czech Republic to earn a creditable 2-0 win over Moldova in the European Championships qualifying mini-tournament yesterday.
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Ireland face Moldova today - October 17, 2000
Ireland's u18 team go into their game against Moldova today in the Czech Republic knowing that they have to win if they are to keep the pressure on the Czechs for qualification from the European Championship qualifier mini-tournament.
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Ireland beaten by Czechs - October 16, 2000
Czech Republic 1 Ireland 0
Ireland have a mountain to climb if they are to qualify from their four-team mini-tournament after hosts Czech Republic beat Brian Kerr's u18 team 1-0.
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Kerr forced to make changes - October 13, 2000
Brian Kerr's Ireland u18 squad fly out today for their European Championship qualifying tournament in the Czech Republic - and once again the manager has been forced into a series of late changes.
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Opportunity seized - October 12, 2000
Ireland 2 Estonia 0
Nothing but a victory would do for Ireland last night against Estonia at Lansdowne Road after earning two great draws on the road to kick off World Cup qualifying - and Mick McCarthy's team obliged in some style.
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World's best midfield pairing? - October 12, 2000
Ireland have relied heavily on Roy Keane over the last number of years. When the Irish captain is missing from the side they have looked a shadow of themselves - but with the emergence of Mark Kinsella things have changed a lot.
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Holland humbled - October 12, 2000
Holland 0 Portugal 2
Holland are left with a long, hard road if they are to qualify for the World Cup after their second bad home result of the Group 2 campaign. They were not even at the races against a classy Portuguese side.
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Back to basics - October 12, 2000
Ireland's two u21 goalkeepers were back to the mundane of reserve football last night, as Joe Murphy and Dean Delaney came face to face at Prenton Park when Tranmere faced Port Vale.
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Ireland remain unchanged - October 11, 2000
Ireland boss Mick McCarthy has kept faith with the players that have earned two excellent draws in Group 2 of the World Cup qualifiers by naming the same starting eleven for tonight's game against Estonia.
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Givens bags first points - October 11, 2000
Ireland u21 1 Estonia u21 0
Under-pressure Ireland u21 boss Don Givens picked up his first points of the current European Championship qualifying campaign - and just his second win in eight games in charge - when Ireland beat Estonia in Kilkenny last night.
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Problems for Holland - October 11, 2000
Holland go into tonight's crunch game against Portugal with serious injury doubts.
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McCarthy delays team selection - October 10, 2000
Republic of Ireland soccer manager Mick McCarthy has announced that he will not name his team to face Estonia tomorrow until shortly before kick-off.
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Quinn out of u21 game - October 10, 2000
Ireland u21 manager Don Givens' attempt to placate club managers by releasing key players between important European qualifiers has backfired badly.
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Ireland can now win Group 2 - October 9, 2000
After another great night for Irish football in Portugal on Saturday night the way is left open for Ireland to qualify for their first major championships since the 1994 World Cup.
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Disaster in Marinho Grande - October 7, 2000
Portugal u21 3 Ireland u21 1
Ireland u21 manager Don Givens saw his charges play the best football of his short reign in the first half of their European Championship qualifier against Portugal - and then blow it all away with a shocking second half.
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McCarthy calling for rain - October 6, 2000
Ireland manager Mick McCarthy is praying for a drop of rain before his side take the field in Lisbon tomorrow night.
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Givens' side needs a result - October 6, 2000
Don Givens Irish u21 team face Portugal tonight knowing that they need a result if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the European u21 Championships.
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Kelly comes through training - October 5, 2000
Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Alan Kelly came through training yesterday with the Irish team and is now definite to start against Portugal on Saturday night in Portugal.
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Striking problems for Portugal - October 5, 2000
Good news for the Irish from Lisbon, as two Portuguese strikers battle to be fit for the countries showdown on Saturday night in Lisbon!
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Kennedy and Babb will come in from the cold - October 5, 2000
Mark Kennedy and Phil Babb both have a future with Ireland - which is good news for the team and for the players.
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Sheffield take the biscuit! - October 5, 2000
Sheffield Wednesday are a team in crisis and it is understandable that they need their best players on the pitch - but it is taking the biscuit that they want the Ireland u21 set-up to release Alan Quinn to play for them against West Brom on Sunday, smack in the middle of two internationals.
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Shock attack on Rowlands by Noades - October 5, 2000
Brentford boss Ron Noades has never been shy about letting his feelings be known - but he has gone a step too far by washing his dirty laundry in public with a shock attack on his star midfielder, Martin Rowlands.
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Same again for Ireland - October 4, 2000
Ireland boss Mick McCarthy has picked the same eleven players who started against Holland for the game against Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday night.
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Forest trio named in u18 Euro squad - October 4, 2000
Ireland Youth manager Brian Kerr has gone back to the Nottingham Forest underage well for five of the squad for the u18 European Championship qualifying mini-tournament in the Czech Republic later this month - and if the well dries up this time as it did for Ireland's last friendly it could cause serious problems.
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Ireland lose Gary Kelly - October 3, 2000
Ireland have lost their third player in three days as they get ready for the task of facing Portugal and Estonia over four days next week.
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Colgan earns international call-up - October 2, 2000
Hibernian goalkeeper Nicky Colgan has been called into the Ireland squad which is assembling to face Portugal and Estonia over the coming ten days.
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